Red Lips
by Sweey
Summary: A battle has erupted between Hojo and the War God of Echigo. Fuma Kotaro is sent to assassinate Kenshin, meanwhile Kasuga is caught up fighting for her own life. However, in the distance a lone shinobi in green stands watching balancing on the treetops evaluating the situation with a skillful eye. It's his move, what will he do? Oneshot: I will possibly add more if desired


**Sweey:**_** You can thank paperlung for getting me to finally step off the gray line concerning SasukexKasuga. Yup. Mostly just Sasuke and Kasuga with some action delivered by deareset Kotaro. Enjoy! **_

**Red Lips**

The battle raged on. Sasuke watched from a distance, balancing high on a treetop. The War God and the Hojo were at their peak in battle. For once had Hojo managed to come out of his shell and was doing considerably well on the battlefield. However, Sasuke was not concerned with the old man. The shinobi spied Kenshin mounted atop a white horse being challenged by a general. Though, he was also of little real interest. His eyes searched fervently for two people.

"There you are," Sasuke muttered to himself with relief as his eyes fixated on Kasuga's slender form dancing upon the battlefield. He held his breath as a spear lunged for her, but she evaded it with grace and ease, putting a permanent end to the attacker. He was very concerned for her. If something were to happen to Kenshin, she would likely fall with him.

Sasuke's eyes shifted from her to search for the other. The shinobi's eyes narrowed as Fuma Kotaro flickered in his sight. That was what most concerned him. This was a recipe for disaster. Kotaro's target was most definitely Kenshin. In consequence, that probably meant Kasuga was going to get mixed up with the legendary shinobi. She was a loose canon whenever her lord was harmed. Then again, so was Sasuke.

"Ah... there he goes," Sasuke said softly, watching Kotaro like a hawk as the Fuma shinobi weaved rapidly through the chaos of the battlefield toward the lone and unprotected figure of Lord Kenshin. Sasuke's brows drew together. Kasuga wasn't even aware of what was going on. He didn't blame her, she was quite busy fighting off her own enemies- other Fuma shinobi. At this point, Kotaro had the upper hand.

A smile tickled Sasuke's lips, "Here's when I come in and get to play." Upon saying these words, the Koga ninja vanished. Not but a second later, he appeared from a pool of shadow near where Kasuga stood her ground, holding off enemy ninja.

"Sasuke!" Kasuga looked at him in surprise.

"I thought you'd be used to me popping in out of no where, Kasuga-chan!" He gave her a very pleasant smirk as he ran a shuriken through the head of an unfortunate adversary.

Kasuga's cheeks burned with anger, "Sarutobi Sasuke I do NOT need your help!"

His playful manner vanished, "Yes, Kasuga-chan, you do." He jerked his head toward Kenshin. Not but a few yards away, Kotaro was being held back from his target by a select few members of the Sanada Ten Braves- shinobi that fought under Sasuke's orders. Kasuga's face went pale, though she managed easily to slice the throat of an approaching enemy.

"Come on," Sasuke said, having ruined the last shinobi that had attacked her, "We need to get moving. My ninja are strong, but they will stand no chance against Fuma Kotaro!" Before she could say thank you, he was already dashing ahead to aid his companions.

Kasuga watched him for a moment as he ran through the battle, cutting down her lord's foes as he went through. He suddenly stopped, turned, and looked at her with a questioning look on his face. "Hurry up!" Kasuga woke up out of her thoughts and dashed forward to join him. He waited for her to catch up with him before he began to run again. Kasuga watched his movements carefully as they ran. She had rarely seen him so serious.

As they caught up to where Kotaro was being delayed, Sasuke gave out a cry of shock. Three of his friends already lay dead. Their deaths were brutal by the hands of Fuma Kotaro.

"Anata no akuma! You demon!" After his spoken offense, Sasuke's anger retreated to a secret place within him. He became calm, however, the fury did not leave his eyes.

Kotaro decapitated another of the Sanada Ten Braves, letting her crumple at his feet before he turned to see who had yelled at him. Not to his surprise he found Sasuke glaring at him.

Sasuke barely felt the hand that perched gently on his shoulder.

"Sasuke," Kasuga said softly. She was deeply touched by how Sasuke had performed, even having lost four of his closest friends to his greatest enemy."

Sasuke did not move to look at her. He could not. He would not. Not while this threat stood before them. Kotaro had to go down. Now was the time. He stepped forward, Kotaro mirrored his motion. Those remaining of the Sanada Ten Braves took several steps back, creating a perimiter for the two rivals. Kasuga prepared herself as well, though when Sasuke sensed it, he looked at her.

"No. This is my fight. Go be with your lord."

Kasuga glared at him, "This will take both of us and you know it!"

"Just listen to me for once, Kasuga!"

Kasuga blinked. The simple fact that he had not used "-chan" on her name revealed wholly that he was serious. She stepped back, honoring the favor he was commiting himself too and ran off to protect her lord in case Sasuke failed. She bit her lip and shook her head as she ran, telling herself that even against such terrifying odds, Sasuke would manage to somehow defeat Kotaro.

She thought so even though she didn't really believe it.

As she neared her lord he took notice of her.

"Ah, my most beautiful blade, have you news for me?"

Kasuga looked sternly at her lord, though her eyes revealed her worry. "My lord Kenshin, you must get out of here! Kotaro is after your life!" Before Kenshin could say anything against her words she smacked the back end of his horse with the handle of her kunai. The white beast lunged forward and bolted through the battlefeild away from the skirmish between Kotaro and Sasuke. She turned and looked back at the two rivals as they slashed at each other. She swallowed. A battle between samurai involved many, but a battle between shinobi always and only was between two. In her opinion, the latter was far more deadly.

Kotaro sliced through the air, feigning the motion and vanishing again, reappearing behind Sasuke. The Koga ninja was sucked into the ground as Kotaro leaped through the air where he had once been. Sasuke then reappeared to Kotaro's left. He swung one arm in a high vertical arch and the other in a full horizontal swing. With magisty and skill, Kotaro managed to slip through even such assaults. Kotaro now kicked up into the air, spinning with his ninjato between his toes, pushing Sasuke up into the air, who jumped up in an attempt to avoid it. Consequently, Kotaro's legs crisscrossed around Sasuke's neck. If Sasuke had not made the notion to put his hands around his throat he would have died as Kotaro sliced his ninjato over what he thought was Sasuke's throat. Afterwhich, he kicked Sasuke in the back as he pounced off of his shoulders. Kotaro landed lightly on his toes, while Sasuke stumbled forward several steps.

Kotaro pirhouetted to see the result of his work. His head tilted ever so slightly as Sasuke took yet another battle stance. It was his equivalent for, "How the hell are you still alive?!"

It was a curious question, for Sasuke's body was littered with little wounds that Kotaro managed to lay on him in the nooks and crannies of his armor. It was amazing and terrible all at the same time, Kasuga thought. Kotaro lived up to his legend. She had never seen him fight. Though the last person she would want to see fighting him was now standing before him in definance.

Sasuke lunged forward. Kotaro, in quiet confidence also exploded into action. In a grand climax the two shinobi collided in a flashing display of sword play. They both then jumped back and went at it again. However this time, Kotaro lifted his knee and Sasuke, focused completely on killing Kotaro, ran right into it, the blow knocking out the wind from his lungs. He jerked forward. Silmutaneously, there was a gut-wrenching sound that emitted from his throat as Kotaro stabbed the entirety of his ninjato into Sasuke's unguarded chest. The Sanada Ten Braves, now only six strong, where appauled and frozen with shock, as was Kasuga. She dashed toward him as he collapsed in the distance at Kotaro's feet.

The Fuma shinobi tilted his head once more, staring down at the other ninja as if he was considering whether or not he should finish him off or let Sasuke suffer. He decided that the shinobi that laid at his feet was a waste of time. His target was already long gone. Though as he looked up, he saw Kasuga approaching. Beneath his emotionless mask, his eyes narrowed. Yet another challenger was to approach him. He would finish her off quickly and then pass on to his primary target. She would simply get in the way later.

He began taking smooth steps toward her as she continued running forward. Kasuga hurled several kunai at him, but he barely flinched as he caught them. She stopped, surprised. For some reason, as she stared at the figure before her, she couldn't move. Kasuga watched as Kotaro lifted the kunai she had thrown in his hand, preparing slowly for the kill. Then he threw them.

Kasuga waited for them to come and she watched them, but then a shadow blotted them out of her view.

Sasuke let out a cry of pain as the kunai met his flesh, sinking deep. He fell back and Kasuga struggled to catch him. She hadn't even realized it was him until that moment. He laid there, his breathing shallow, bleeding, and in terrible agony there in her arms. A shadow fell over the both of them and the two looked up at Kotaro, who raised his ninjato to put Sasuke out of his misery. In this moment, Sasuke lunged forward, crying out as the blade of the ninjato slid between his ribs. Though Kotaro also let out a cry. Every shinobi stopped and stared. Never once had the voice of the Twilight Ninja had been heard.

Kotaro took several steps backward. He looked down at his gut. There the great shuriken of Sarutobi Sasuke rested and around it gathered blood, the first stain of his garment. Whether to escape death or embarrassment, Kotaro vanished.

"GO AFTER HIM!" Sasuke yelled to his remaining followers. They hesitated, but also vanished to hunt down the Fuma assassin.

Sasuke then laid there in Kasuga's arms, for a moment he was lost in what had happened. He had suffered two major stab wounds from Kotaro, both in fatal locations on his torso. He began to cough up blood, the red liquid splattering onto Kasuga's breasts. He looked up at her as she began to stroke his hair.

"Kasuga-chan... you're not hurt are you?"

"No Sasuke. But you're hurt pretty bad... just take it easy, okay?" She was amazed. He still worried about her even though he had suffered so badly. She never really realized that he cared so much about her.

"Okay... I will." He coughed again.

"Why did you do it?"

He gave her a curious look, "Do what?"

"Why did you save me? Why did you even get involved? The Takeda did not take part in this battle."

He frowned, "I thought it was obvious." A ghost of his playful smile slid across his lips, "I suppose... we as ninja have a... harder time... displaying emotions, huh?"

"What do you mean by that Sarutobi? Speak clearly."

Sasuke reached up to her cheek, "Kasuga-chan. I did all this... because..." he hesitated.

"Because why?"

He swallowed, "Because... I fell in love with you." He closed his eyes tightly shut, "Please don't hate me. I know it was silly of me... and that you're in love with Kenshin-sama, but... I couldn't help but admire your dedication and fierce personality. I suppose..." he paused a moment to catch his breath,"...my imagination got carried away... thinking that we would ever be together... like that. Especially with the conflict between our clans..."

Kasuga could feel tears already forming in her eyes, "Sasuke." That was all she could bring herself to say.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, coughing violently again.

She leaned down to him, "Don't be, Sasuke-chan." Her lips met his and she delivered him a passionate kiss there on the battlefield. As they did, Kasuga's tongue was overwhelmed by the taste of blood- his blood. She slowly pulled away. Her lips were stained bright red with his blood. The sticky substance dripped from her mouth as she looked down at Sasuke, though as she did she felt his body become limp in her arms. Her eyes opened wide as hot tears began to pour from her eyes, mixing with the blood on his face as she cried over him.

"Kasuga?"

For a moment, she thought it was Sasuke's voice. However, it was not. It was her lord Kenshin's. She turned and looked up at him, her eyes swollen with tears.

"Oh this is terribly unfortunate! Shingen will be greatly disheartened that his shinobi Sasuke has fallen to terrible wounds!" Kenshin dismounted his horse and checked Sasuke's pulse. "He's still alive! Help me lift him onto my horse. You go run ahead and tell Shingen of what happened. I will ride hard behind you."

"I will Kenshin-sama!" Kasuga cried out to him as she ran toward the Takeda's territory. She had been so upset before, but now that there was hope for Sasuke's survival, she found a new fire in her heart.

...

Kenshin and Shingen stood outside the large room dedicated for those who had fallen in battle. At the feet of the "Armor That Needs No Sheild" Sasuke rested, his breathing shallow. Beside him sat Kasuga, unable to bring herself to touch them. Her lips were still stained red from his blood.

Sasuke's eyelids lifted and for a moment he was in a state of panic. As he took in his surroundings he found Kasuga sitting beside him, stroking his forehead. His eyes glistened when he finally recognized her.

"Am I dead?"

She frowned, scowling, "No, Sasuke! Don't say such things."

He reached for her face, "Then I must be dreaming..."

She looked at him in surprise, accepting his hand as he placed it gently against her cheek.

Outside, Kenshin and Shingen began to discuss what had happened.

"It would be a pity for him to pass like this," Kenshin said quietly. "My Kasuga has become made him a very close friend."

"It would be. Sasuke seems to desire her from a distance," Shingen replied. He then added, "But he respects her."

"He does, I thought so as well. I hate that it had to come to this."

"It was destined to eventually surface and come to a head," Shingen muttered. "Let's just hope we do have the chance to solve this." He looked at his ninja through the crack of the sliding door. It saddened him that he was like this. Sasuke had been reckless, but love did that to everyone, didn't it?

There were approaching footsteps and the two veteran warriors looked over at the red figure of Yukimura. He smiled brightly at the two, completely unaware of what had happened.

"Hello Oyataka-sama! Ah, and good morning Lord Kenshin, it is nice to see you here today! What is the occassion?"

"It is good to see you as well, young tiger of Kai. I wish I could say the occassion was as light hearted as yourself, but it would seem that it is not so. Your shinobi was injured badly today. He saved us from Fuma Kotaro."

The color in Yukimura's face washed out, "Sasuke... was injured?" Such a thought seemed like an impossibility. All these years knowing Sasuke he was always the one at his bedside when Yukimura was ill or hurt, not the other way around. In fact, Yukimura couldn't remember the last time Sasuke had even suffered a wound that was so terrible he was bedridden. And that name, Fuma Kotaro, he had met that ninja before. Nagamasa Hisahide had once employed him during the time when Hideyoshi was in power.

"A battle between two ninja of exceptional skill almost always results in the demise of one or both. We do not know if Kotaro has perished from the wound Sasuke delievered him, but Sasuke is not well to find out at this time."

Yukimura looked at Kenshin and then at Lord Shingen, who gestured toward the door. The young tiger took shaky steps to the door and hesitated before opening. He found Sasuke laying there, now awake and talking in a hushed voice with Kasuga. She looked up, her muscles rigid, as if expecting it was Kotaro coming to take care of unfinished business. Sasuke looked over too, reacting much in the same way, only it was much more difficult for him to behave as such. Upon seeing that it was Yukimura, Sasuke leaned his head back and groaned in spite of his effort to secure his and Kasuga's safety.

Yukimura took two more steps, staring at the ninja in disbelief before he dashed to Sasuke's side. "Sasuke! Sasuke what happened!? Why did you go and get yourself hurt!?"

Sasuke scowled at him, "Master Yukimura don't worry about me. You should be out training! What are you doing here?" He muttered to himself, "I thought I told Kosuke and Saizo to keep this quiet from him."

Yukimura looked hurt, "Why would you want to keep something so important from me Sasuke?!"

"Because, I didn't want you to worry or be distracted by me! You have responsibilities now, Master. You are supposed to be training the men Oyataka-sama selected for you."

"They're taking a break right now and they can wait. Sasuke, you're hurt badly. What happened? How did you get hurt? Did he attack you from behind and you were caught off guard or did he gang up on you with other ninja."

"No, Master Yukimura, he bested me in the fight. I didn't think I would win. In fact I knew I wouldn't," he paused, "..but I wasn't about to let him carry out his goal."

"What was he going to do? Was he going to hurt Lady Kasuga?!"

"He would have... if she had gotten in his way. He was after Kenshin-sama. I couldn't just stand by and let that happen." He sighed, closing his eyes for a long moment.

"Sasuke?"

When he didn't answer, Yukimura gave him a jerk, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke opened his eyes, taking in a sharp breath, grimacing with pain.

Kasuga slapped Yukimura's hands, "Careful! He's hurt!"

Yukimura's eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry, I just-!"

"It's alright Master, I'm okay. I'm just tired."

Yukimura looked down at Sasuke, who was smiling at him.

"Everything will be just fine."

"How do you know that, Sasuke? How do you know you won't perish to these wounds?!"

Kasuga frowned at him, her emotions getting the best of her, "Yukimura, please..."

"I don't, Master..."

Yukimura was crestfallen, "But-! Oh Sasuke what will I do without you? Who will spend time with me when I have nothing else to do? Who will make sure I don't make any mistakes? What will I do!?" The young tiger of Kai doubled over with sobs. "I'm sorry Sasuke! I'll never make you get another dango for me again!"

Sasuke chuckled, "But Master, that's what I'm here for. I will get you dango every day if I survive this..."

Yukimura only cried harder.

"Master..."

"Ye-yes, Sasuke?"

"Put your chin up. Don't cry over me yet."

"Yukimura."

The young tiger of Kai looked over to Lord Shingen, who stood in the doorway of the room. "Come on now, you must take care of your responsibilites."

Yukimura nodded, though he hesitated and looked at Sasuke. The shinobi gave him a gentle shove with his hand and Yukimura reluctantly moved out of the room. Shingen smiled at the two and closed the door.

Silence held their tongues. Sasuke looked up at Kasuga and smiled, "Thank you for staying here with me..."

Not sure what she should say to that she pulled down the kimono that covered him. "We need to replace your bandages." As she began to peel away his current patchings, her eyes widened. She thought she had become immune to seeing such brutality, but the two wounds delivered by Kotaro's ninjato had swollen and were oozing with puss. A terrible odor came from them and she covered her nose. "Oh Sasuke..."

He sniffed and his eyes widened. "Kasuga..." He sounded frightened. "Kasuga...!"

Kasuga looked at him with concern, "What is it Sasuke? It just looks like your wounds are infected."

"No, no... this is much worse! The blades had poison on them. I know what poison too... I studied them a long time ago. I could recognize that smell anywhere... Kasuga... I'm not going to live through this."

"Sasuke, don't you dare state such things! Please!"

Tears began to glitter in his eyes, "I'm sorry Kasuga."

She began to hurriedly clean his wounds, applying all her knowledge to try and save him. Finally he grabbed her wrist and she looked at him. His face was ashy and his eyes were glassy, "Kasuga. Please, don't waste your time. I'm already far too weak..."

"We'll find a way, Sasuke!"

"Please Kasuga," he said, wrapping up his wounds, "Just stay here beside me until I pass."

Kasuga frowned, "Sasuke..."

He reached up to her, pulling her down beside him, "Shhh, just be here with me." He leaned forward and gave her a sweet kiss.

Her chin began to quiver and he caught it in his hand, "There's no need to cry, Kasuga. I know have everything I have ever wanted."

She looked into his eyes, captivated by them. He leaned forward and they kissed deeply. He slowly broke away and for a moment she thought he had fallen asleep. However, when she began to examine him, she found it was not so. She gripped him tightly and shook his body.

"Sasuke...? SASUKE! WAKE UP! Sasuke?!" Her voice was crippled by her cries as she buried her head into his chest. Her ears strained to hear even the faintest heartbeat, but she heard nothing but her own rapid breathing. He was gone. She wasn''t sure what to do. Not long after, the others had heard her cries. Yukimura was the first to burst into the room. He collapsed by Sasuke and took him in his arms shaking him violently.

"NO! Sasuke! SASUKE CAN YOU HEAR ME!? YOU CAN'T DIE! NOT NOW!"

"Yukimura!"

Yukimura looked up at Lord Shingen, tears filling both their eyes. They had just lost a very dear friend. He was the mediator between them, the compassion, that watchful eye that would never be able to be replaced. Sasuke was like an older brother to Yukimura. To Shingen he was an irreplaceable friend.

Kenshin walked in behind them and soaked in the scene. Kasuga jumped up and hugged him, crying into his chest.

"Why did he have to die, Lord Kenshin? Why did he have to go and save me like that?!"

He stroked her hair, "There there. I think you and I both know the answer to that question."

She looked down, "Because he loved me." She closed her eyes, "I didn't know it before...I loved him too."

...

In deep sadness, Sasuke watched far from a distance, high upon a treetop. It pained him to have to do this to everyone but he knew if he were to really defeat Kotaro he would have to find him without them worrying for him. The poison had been Sasuke's own doing. He would let them bury his shadow clone and return after he had defeated Fuma Kotaro once and for all. That was his decision, no matter how much it pained them... and him. Knowing if he'd stay any longer he'd be spotted, he vanished, off to hunt his rival.


End file.
